Executive Officer’s Report: December 2019

There always seems to be a frantic aspect to December. Like most people, I take a holiday over the Christmas-New Year fortnight which shortens the working month. Yet, I still find I try to pack a month’s worth of work into the three available weeks. Fortunately this year I have avoided by usually temptation to rush to complete long delayed projects before the year’s end.

Image: Bonding time the nativity in Townsville by Jan Hynes.jpg

 Confession by Bruce Prewer 

We have been stupid.

Because, in spite of what happened at Bethlehem, we still expect to find You among the manicured people who ooze success and self advertisement;

Lord have mercy.

Lord have mercy.

We have been impatient.

Because we sometimes wish you had not come in humility but with an army to overthrow corrupt rulers and to publicly humiliate the greedy and ruthless;

Christ have mercy.

Christ have mercy.

We have been mislead.

Because your ways are not our ways and your brand of foolish meekness outsaves and outglories everything else on earth around us or in the heavens beyond.

Lord have mercy

Lord have mercy.

Most wonderful God, let not our celebrations be despoiled by either unrepentance or apathy in the presence such abundant forgiveness and rehabilitation.

May the Spirit at the heart of Christmas, breathe into us that healing which makes all things new.

For your name’s sake.

Amen!

New events listed on the website:

• • 04 March 2020 Church Governance Symposium with International Experts
  • 20 June 2020 A Safer Church for all: Safeguarding, Core to Mission – further details added
  • 06-09 September 2020 National Catholic Education Conference

New website content:

The public news section of the AMPJP website now has the following posts:

• Christmas-New Year office closure (19 December 2019 – also accessible to AMPJP General and Council members)